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PepsiCo
1940s-1960s
It all began in the mountains of Tennessee. Brothers Barney and Ally Hartman ventured into the backwoods to create a decent mixer for their moonshine.
Their mixer became the soda Mountain Dew.
“Ya-hoo!” captured that raw, unfiltered mountain spirit. This first Mountain Dew slogan was a genuine hillbilly enthusiasm bottled up in green glass. The slogan matched the product: wild, unpredictable, and unapologetically rural.
1940s-1960s
Pure Appalachian charm in four words.
The Hartman brothers doubled down on their hillbilly identity with It’ll Tickle Yore Innards!. Picture Willie the Hillbilly on the label, barefoot and rifle in hand, surrounded by hound dogs and outhouses.
The slogan worked because it was authentic. These weren’t Madison Avenue executives trying to sound folksy. These were real mountain folk speaking their language.
Mid-1960s-Late 1960s
Enter Pepsi.
When PepsiCo acquired Mountain Dew in 1964, it faced a challenge: how to take a regional hillbilly mixer and make it mainstream? The answer was sunshine—universal, optimistic, and far more palatable than moonshine references.
This slogan polished the rough edges of the brand while keeping some of that mountain mystique.
1969-1970
Freedom in a bottle.
The late ’60s were all about breaking free from convention. Mountain Dew tapped into that zeitgeist with “barefoot feeling.” This new campaign focused on liberation, naturalness, and rebellion.
The new positioning made Mountain Dew the anti-establishment soda.
1970-1973
Nostalgia marketing before it was cool.
Pepsi brought back that original “Ya-hoo!” slogan but repackaged it for mainstream America. Gone were the hillbilly references. The new slogan added excitement to suburban life.
The slogan cemented Mountain Dew’s reputation as the “wild soda.” While Coca-Cola represented family values, Mountain Dew was your rebellious friend.
1975-Late 1970s
The hippie experiment.
This slogan was short-lived but telling. Mountain Dew tried to capture the counterculture movement with simple, peaceful messaging. But they misread their audience. Mountain Dew drinkers wanted excitement, not zen.
1979-Early 1980s
Aspirational energy for the “Me Decade.”
The late ’70s were about personal achievement and reaching higher. Mountain Dew positioned itself as fuel for ambitious people. The new campaign used corporate motivation disguised as soda marketing.
PepsiCo wanted everyone to know that Mountain Dew doesn’t just refresh you—it elevates you.
1983-1986
The start of action marketing.
Everything changed here. No more sunshine and hippie vibes. This new campaign was full of pure energy, compressed into four words. Mountain Dew discovered what would become their secret weapon: making the beverage itself the action hero.
Advertisements showed cans exploding out of water. Movement. Energy. This slogan introduced the idea that Mountain Dew was liquid motivation.
1986-Early 1990s
Rural roots meet urban attitudes.
Mountain Dew soon found their sweet spot: keeping their country origins while adding a serious cool factor. They built a new campaign with a bit of country swagger.
The slogan bridged two worlds perfectly. You could be from the mountains and still be the coolest person in the room.
1993-Present, with breaks
The revolution begins.
In 1993, PepsiCo transformed Mountain Dew into something new.
Their new campaign targeted teens and young adults who sought extreme experiences.
Mountain Dew became the first sponsor of ESPN’s X-Games. Suddenly, skateboarding, snowboarding, and BMX weren’t fringe sports—they were Mountain Dew sports.
They partnered with gamer culture. “Do the Dew” became gamer fuel. Late-night gaming sessions and Mountain Dew became inseparable.
2002-2003
Niche marketing at its finest.
This was a brief experiment in sport-specific messaging. Mountain Dew realized their audience lived for extreme sports year-round, not just during winter. It was too narrow but showed their deep understanding of their core customers.
2003-2015
The cartoon era.
Mountain Dew embraced animated advertising and digital culture with this new campaign. This slogan captured the increasing blend between real life and digital experiences. Gaming, animation, and Mountain Dew became inseparable.
2015-2024
Energy drink competition.
In recent history, Red Bull was stealing Mountain Dew’s thunder.
This slogan was their counterpunch—emphasizing the caffeinated energy that made Mountain Dew more than just soda. It was the buzzy drink before energy drinks were cool.
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2024-Present
The comeback kid.
After 30+ years, the most iconic Mountain Dew slogan returned with a twist. Enter the Mountain Dude—a ‘70s-inspired character with a flowing beard and lime-green fur coat. He’s part guru, part party animal, all Mountain Dew.
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